Sheet separator and feeder.



. DECD. 1 WELLS, ADM|N|STRA70RS L. WELLQ SHEET SEPARATOR AND FEEDE'I APPUCATION FILED JULYH, 1908. RENEWED M1,! 6 i9i3.

' Patented Jam. 4, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. L. WtLLS, DECD. v4.1.a c. I. WELLS. ADMINISTRATDRS.

SHEET SEPARATOR AND FEEDER. APPLICATION FILED IULVH. 190a. RENEWED MAY 6. 1913.

1,167,367. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PIEBSON WELLS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. NETTIE J. WELLS, OF CENTER, NEW YORK, AND CHARLES I. WELLS, OF BBOOKLYN, NEW YORK,'.ADHINISTBATOB$ OF SAID PIERSON L. WELLS, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS TO MILLER SAW-TRIKI'IEE- CO MP NY OF MICHIGAN,'OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF mxcn ean.

Application filed July 11,1908, Serial No. 443,132. Renewed my 6,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Pierson L. WELLS, of the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New Yorkfhave invented a certain new i and useful Improvement in Sheet Separaof a simple efi'icient mechanism of. this type,

automatic and positive in its action to. prevent the passage of but a single sheet at a time, and one-that is capable, moreover, of

performing its, functions'with practically no necessity of adjustment or regulation whether thick or thin, rough or smooth sheets be delivered to it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 'mainiy a plan'of an elemental mechanism who'sepi'inciple' of operation embodies my invention].;;I ig.: 2 i s'partly an elevation,

' reference to a is to say, as'here exemplified, roller 3 is partly .asection thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged 'elevational"detail-of a certain gear train, etc,,- -of the m anifs'rn of Figs.-1 and ged cross sectional de- -'tail 0 1aj-forwardingifiriction 'be'lt, the coopera-tiye' reversely rotative sheet gar-resting roll is d {certain assgiciat'ed partsiz tional detail; illustrating 7 cut tothat'indicated in Fij for the sheet "arresting roller 11 the direction-i Fig. 6 is asectiofr iillus- .Fig. 5 1d tratin-g in an jcxaggerated w'ay the relati e' change in the fpos tion' of the belt d'ue to its working. p

Similar characters of reference'designate corresponding parts in all figures.

The inventionemhrace's one or'more positively driven frictionally operative sheet forwarders, in. ,this particular instance shown as bands or belts and designated by 2 inthe drawings; these bands run over parallel rollers 3, 3' and assume substantially the positionindicated in Fig. 4 with lower or bottom roll 4. That SHEET SEPARATOR AND FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

bar 8.

. 9 may beused to adjust Patented Jail. 4, 1916 1913. Serial n 65,985.- secured to a shaft 5, rotatably'mounted in suitable frames 6, 6. Roller 3 isljournaled in arms 7, 7 loosely mounted upon shaft 5 and compelled to move asa unit or frameabout the axis of shaft 5, the means for Se curing the arms together embodying a tie lap's over 'a small are of roll 4. .A spring pressure of the belts. Orr the roll. Motion may be'imparted to roller 3 by any suitable means, a pulley 10 in the'elemental machine on a driving shaft l lfrotatinthe direction of the arrow in F i 2 riv ing through a crossed belt 12 a-pu ley 13 on shaft 5.

With the parts positioned as described, the lowerstretehof each] beltj2.

the initial :55

It should be here. stated that in ur c e 1 2 term belt or the term belts in this specifica- 1 than one of such elements is as may be found most advisable;

'tion andthe claims, the use of onejor more One of the principal featuresofithe invention relates to the sheet retarded-here in the nature of afriction' roll, 4, thisroll being constantly urgedduringgthe riinning .of the machine in a direction such'that its upper peripheral portion, that is that ,por-

tion which. in Fig. 4 is in contact with the I lower stretch of belt 2, tends torn'ove in the opposite direction to Such stretch,-or in at other words this roll tends to turn in the same direction as roller 3' is driven. In

using the term opposite,

mean in the relative.'direction just defined.

hereafter, in the claims, it will be understood, therefore, to

The constantly acting torque to so. turn roll 4 is, however, less than that resulting from the friction of belt 2 to turn it in. the opposite direction when the belt is in direct en gagement with the roll throughout the full possible are of contact. Under such circumstances the roll-contacting stretch of the belt and the roll periphery run togetherin the same direction with substantially if not 10f exactly the same --hhear velocity. When a single sheet is introduced into the bite be tween the friction surfaces on that side of roll 4 on which roller 3 is located, eondi tions are still favorable to the overcoming of the aforesaid constantly exerted torque and the sheet is readily advanced from one side of rotating roll 4 to the other at substantially the velocity of belt travel. When,

' roll the more the force resisting the opposing torque approximates to the fractional resistance to the sliding of one sheet over another. Idcem it essential: to positively though yieldingly urge theshect retarder in the opposite dlrection, as aforesaid, as distinguished from frictionally retarding or braking the came against the positive drive of. the sheet forwarder (either directly or indirectly through an interposed single.

sheet) in order to prevent the retard er from being entirely covered with a displaced sheet or sheets other than the single topshcet and there!) rendered ineffective in holding back all ut the latter. That is to soy, if e, brake only is applied to the returder and a number of sheets are introduced between the rcturdcr and the forwarder the letter tends to fun out the sheets over the surface of the returder until the effective portion of the periphery of thclattcr is cn-' lively coyercd over, the brake on the rcturder under these conditiong simpl holding the tationury. The rctarller being then w to stop any ovcrlying sheet or sheetsnot in contact with its periphery, these latter are carried forward by the forwumlm" in more or less quantity and a num her of sheets instead of the" single top sheet puss-cs onward The present backwardly urged roturdcr on the other-hand nullifies t day; xisting e.v force thateerves to push In: zwurdly elf chects except the top one no what their number thereby maintaint tendency to bring about u condition, in

portion of itsperiplwry is in contact with T the under surface of the top sheet.

Thcycsilienceof the beltsund the fact that they are ieldingly held against roll 4 makes the i1 ustrated apparatus adapted without adjustment to the-separation and feeding of flexible sheets irrespective of their thickness or condition ofsurface.

The individual sheets maybe delivered onto a series of traveling tapes 14 which here, run overs, driving roll r 5, n fixed pulley 1-5 on which is here dri an by :1 belt 15 from a pulley 15 on driving shaft 11. If

mes the Fig. 5. fanning out" tendency .since there, ii!- u the retarder effective through'itscon-- 1 .tlcully all circumstances, in which some the linear velocity of these tapes is greater than that of belt or belts 2, the rear edge of each sheet as the latter is forwarded by the la es will be carried .free of the forward e go of the sheet next passing between the belt and theroll. ()n the'other hand if a timed delivery. of the sheets is desired the forward edge of each sheet may be caused to passinto the bite of a rotary. gripping device before the sheet, is free from the forwarding action of belt 2' whereupon the latter me be lifted outof its operative position. 'lhct is to say, as illustrated, a suittionell at sue ably journaled firipplng roller 16 is fricdriven y belt 2, the roller being" a distance from the surface, along which belt 2 and roll 4 cooperate as that the forward edge of the smallest sheet (measured in the plane of movement of the belt) which is to be fed shall be gripped by roller 16 before the rearward portionof the sheet pass 3 out from between the belt and the roll. Beltwarrying frame may then e tilt I upward about axis of shaft 5 to a position such as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 4 and in which position it may be retained until the forwarding of another sheet is dcmended when it may be returned to operative position. Such results may be obtained by a suitable cam mechanism, see cam 17,

spring pressed cum rod 17, ancLrock arm 17 extending from a sleeve 17 rigid with belt frame arm 7.

The torque or yielding force which tends to turn friction roll 4- in a direction opposite to that in whichit is rotated by belt 2- may bra-obtained in vm-iouS ways. l or instance, in those cases inwvhich the belt is lifted from roll 4 subsequent to the gripping of the sheet by rollcr 16, the frictional drive of tin-bolt may turn the roll against the tensgion of spring 18 which turns the roll backward to the same stop position upon the" upward tilting of the belt frame, see On the other'huncl the roll may be constantly urged or driven in this reverse direction by a suitable frictiomdrive, a, form of which is. illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and? and, in which motion is derived from rotating shaft 5, a gear 19 thereon driving through an intermediate 19 (to secure the proper directional relation) a gear 20 loose upon shaft 21 of roll 4:. Gear 20 carries 'a friction ring 22 against which bears a friction disk 23 slidable lengthwise of shaft 21 but compelled to rotate therewith by .3. pin and slot connection 23'. The pressure of the disk against the friction ring, that is the effort upon roll 4 may be regulated byadjusting nut 24 (backed by a locking nut 24') between whichv and disk 23 there is inter-. posed a spring 25.v

The drawings typify top feed pile elevator adapted to more, or less automatically raise a pile of sheets as the latter .Qre with drawn from the top. As this feature form c no part of the. present invention, I dcein it unneccssary to illustrate or describe with any particularity such a device. Sullice it to that the illustration shows a guided gilatlorm 26, an elevating screw 2? and n it vguard plate 28 over which and bstwccn the converging periphery of roll 4*. the lower stretch of belt 2 the top sheet or sheets of the pile may he slid by a suituhlc presscr foot typified in the drawings glad dssigna'ued'by 29. .Whatcver the charactor of this sheet advanccr its mode of oration involves its elevation abovethe pile durin' thotims a sheet is being forwarded by belt 2, thus leaving the underlying but advz-anosd'shetxirrisheets, if'any, free to be c the pres-cor foot is ft shifted hackwdrdlj That-is to say, as here illustrated shaft 29 of the pi'csser'Tfoot is loosely mounted in' rock arms 29fi29 landing from a rock shaitBO whiohthrohgh the medium 'of'an' "attached-arm '30", spring roturncd cam jerk 3Q? and a'ni30..on;driving shaft 11 Inlay rocked-in proper timing; to and fro and thereby {im art a longitudi; mil motion tothe prcs'scr; While this foot is in contact with tho top shoot during the forwardhi feeding mo'l'ement ofthclattor, the footp 1-=lifjted clear of the pilo during the'backw; d movement for the purpose abs-vs referred o, this-result beinghere oilctccl by attwh'in tdshaftfli? to which manner that :is'the prssscr foot is carriedsulliciont prcssurca tzfsllift-it ahms for' to-- gather with underlying sheets into the bite of the ior'wardly running bolt 2 and roll 4,

pin 31 is belowjlsvcr- 321' "i As thop'in passes beyond-tho end of -sthe lever the latter is swung upward sibout-its pivot pin 32' thereaftey dropping hackward against stop pin 32 bshincl pin 31'. When the presscr foot is swung rearward by its cam, pin 33. rides upward on lever 32 and the presser foot is carried to the rear along a path in which it is free of the pile until it reaches a posi tion in which the pin is clear of the lever whereupon the prcssor foot drops onto the top shect'of 'the pile beneath, for another feeding movement. lfiefcrably, and in order to assure the ad Vance. of each sheet with its forward edge Isl; right angles to the line of feeding movement and at the designed and predeterminate intervals I will employ in those instances in which belt 2 is lifted from roll 4,

assxplained, suitablc-ioggcr fingers for slid,

'ing hack into approximate alincment with the pilc those cmdcrlyin' sl'zeets which have be'ejushlfted forward "of he presscr foot and iciroiiolitgd-oy roll lingual passing onward. which a oggmg device lllustmt'od and dee d; an arm 31, :1. lat; orally extending pin 31 on which is adopted 1 ("to cooperate with artrack lever 32 in such 'atop she'eighas moved so for forward us to be out o'f the path of the jogger lingers. An 'additio11nl important feature of novelty is however embodied in the organi- Zililfiflfifil thus illustrated and described. I

"have found. i-n'practi'ce that if'oue stretch OfitfI'lGtlGllbfilll such as 2 is pressed with sullicient forcoagainst the periphery of a friction roll such as 4 to-overcome the yielding force or torque which tends to turn tho latter in the opposite direction and the, axis offtlie' belt roll fizg'llv held in such'po'sitlon g theldevicc frequently acts sluggishly in arresting the forward movement of and sliding-backward all sheets except the adwmci'n}! fton sheet. Thiswis owing apparcntly under-the al'oresaid conditions; to an insufiicient disparity between the magnitudeof the forwardly -acting frictional force of SllQQl-fSl-ldlllg' on sheet (created by the pressure of the moving belt) and themagnitude' of the i evcrsely acting torque on roll fli'Sll'lCQflli is obvious that the greater this torque is made the greater, assuming a given are of contactymustbe the radial pressure of the belt on roll 4 withconscqueut greater sheet friction.

In order to overcom the aforesaid objeo tion and to avoid the necessity for imprac ticable. adjustment requirements as regards belt tension, radial pressure, etc, I have devised a method of operation and an organization in accordance with which the forwarding force transmitted by the moi'ing belt automatically adjusts itself to the sistancc to movement'exertcd by the surface (vi-part with which tho'bclt is in Contact. That is to say, if the belt is in contact with roll 4 the force exerted by the former is 'sullicicnt to cause the roll to travl with the us-It; similarly, if a single sheet is introduced between the bolt and the roll the driving conditions remain as before; all three elements move together, and the sheet is advanced at the linear bolt velocity; when. however, two or mo're sheets have passed 'some distance in between belt and roll the force necessary to idvance the top she'et manifestly embracing in part at least a force equal and opposite to itbe frictional resistonce to thcsliding of the top sheet over the one underneathis less than before, Ac cording-fig this invention this driving force under these conditions automatically decreases, thus leaving roll 4 free to turn'revcrsely and slide backward the superfluous sheets which have adhered sufficiently together and to the top sheet to cause their initial advancement therewith. In further explanation it should be stated that the farthen a plurality of sheets is advanced between the belt and the roller, 'the greater -relatively becomesthe reversing torque on roll 4 to turnthe latter backward since the force opposing such torque becomes less. In

other words there always exists a tendency present embodiment for efi'ectin'g the aforesaid result embraces a devicein whlch the driving torque on the driving roller of the belt is resisted bv the moment of the frictional force between the belt and the surface with which it is in contact, the parts being 'so related that the greater this moment the greater will be theefi'ect ofthe belt driving torque in increasing the arc of contact between the belt and the roll and the pressure of the two against each other. Conversely the lee the friction'opposing the movement o-: lillr part in contact with the belt with the latter the less automatically becomes said pressure and contact are and the greater in consequence, becomes the relative elfect of the constantly exerted reversing torque on roll'4. The result in practice therefore is that during the rapid feeding otf of sheets from a top of a pile thereof roll 4 is in almost constant oscillation backwardly and forwardly in response to the varying-conditions as to the number of sheets fed into the bite of belt and roll the distance they are advanced therebctween, etc., as above explained; these results moreover, are practically independent of the character of the sheets as to texture or thickness, v

Referring to the drawings, it has already been stated that-the frame composed of arms 7, 7 and their *tie bar and carr'yin belt roller 3' canfr'eelv swing about axis 0 shaft downward and 5. The driving force exerted on shaft 5 to rotate it and roller 3" in the direction of the arrow- Fig. 6, causes, from the manner of its application "and the frictional resist ance to motion of-the parts a tendency on the .part of the aforesaid frame to move pressthe lower stretch of belt against-the. friction roll. The-greater above referred toin detail.

the designed extent.of ascending mbtion of the frictional resistance opposing the motion of the part in contact with the lower stretch of the belt therewith (assuming an initial.

adjustment of contact area, pressure, etc., sufficient to preclude slipping of the belt the part) the greater is this downward tendency and in consequence the greater becomes the contact area and pressure or in other words the greater becomes the driving forceexerted by the belt; As the tension of the latterincreases to a point at which it suffices to overcome the resistance the belt and the part move forwardly.

Referring in further explanation to Fig. 6, the full lines represent in a general Way the relation of the moving parts, assuming" that there is no reversely acting torque applied to lower roll 4. When however such torque is applied the resistance exerted thereby added to the consequent instantaneous change in tension throughout the belt causes the'belt, etc., for the reason above explained to take approximately the lower or the dotted positions, the'bclt and rollthen traveling at a uniform speed. I

If a singlesheet ,is introduced and forwarded, the parts retain substantially the same, or lowermost relative position. When however two or morecsheets are introduced the resistance opposing the movement of the lower stretch of the belt instead of remaining the frictional resistance between belt and roll or roll and sheet approximates to the less resistance .of the friction of sheet on sheet. The aforesaid frame rises slight-iv as the result of spring tension, in this particular instance, cdnstitutedby the resilient resistance to deflection of the lower stretch of the belt, the force opposing the reversing torque of the friction roll becomes and the latter is. free to reverse and hold. back all sheets except the top one, the edges of these arrested sheets being forced into'engagcment with the friction roll by the Pll$- sureof belt 4.

It will be noticed that earn rod 17' 'engages with rock arm 17 by a pin and. slot connection 17*, the purpose of this being to leave the belt frame free to adjust itself angularly in response to the varying conditions established by the sheet or sheets introduced between thebelt and the friction roll and That is to say cam rod 17' is sufficient not only to drop the belt of belt frame onto the friction roll but to carry the upper end wall of the slot in the rod away from the feeding an separatingoperation.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. in a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a positively driven. sheet for:

s ing the .ter free to (play in th slot during the 81mg:

warder, and a cooperative sheet 1 adapted to travel with the forwarder when.

the two are in contact, said retarder being frictionally driven in a direction such that its cooperative surface tends to move in the opposite direction to the corresponding surface of the forwarder, whereby the retarder and the. for\\'arder tend to maintain contact with the same single sheet.

'2. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a positively driven sheet forwarding belt, and a retarding roll driven thereby when the two-are in contact and means for frictionallydriving said roll in the opposite direction, whereby the roll and the belt tend to maintain contact with the same single sheet.

3. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a positively driven sheet forwarder, a cooperative sheet retarder driven thereby when the two are in contact, vmeans for yieldingly urging said retarder in the opposite direction, and means adapted to introduce the material between the forwarder and the retarder.

4. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a positively driven sheet forwarder, a cooperating sheet retarder driven thereby when the two are in contact, means for yieldingly urging said retarder in the opposite direction, and a jogging device.

In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination with a pair of oppositely disposed cooperative friction elements for feed ing and separating sheets and between which the latter pass, of driven means for seizing the advanced sheet and forwarding the same, and means. for shifting and holding said friction elements out of cooperative relation a l'ter each sheet has been thus seized;

. o. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination with a pair of cooperative friction elements for feeding and separating sheets. of driven means, for seizing the'ad vanced sheet and forwarding the same, means for shifting and holding said friction elements out of cooperative relation after each sheet has been thus seized, a jogging device, and means adapted to advance the material to a point where it may be acted upon by said friction elements.

7. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a pair of cooperative friction elements consisting of a roll and belt, one of said elements being yieldingly driven in a direction opposite to that in which the sheet is advanced, and positive driving means adapted to rotate the other element and press the cooperative surfaces together.

8. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a sheet forwarding friction beit, a swinging frame carrying said belt, a supporting shaft about which said frame may swing, a sheet retarding fricti n roll yieldingly urged in the opposite devotion,

and a driving connection for said belt adapted to press the belt against the roll and thereby drive the roll with the belt when the two are in contact.

9. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination of a sheet forwarding friction belt, a swinging frame embodying a pair of rollers over which said belt runs, a supporting shaft co-axial with one of said rollers and about which said frame may swing, a sheet retarding friction roll yieldingly urged in the opposite direction, a driving connection for said belt adapted to press the belt against said friction roll and thereby drive the roll with the belt when the two are in contact, a forwarding device for grasping the advanced sheet and continuing the motion thereof, means for suppressing the cooperation of said belt and friction roll at predetermined times, and a jogging device.

10. In a sheet feeder andseparator, the combination of a sheet forwarding friction element, a swinging frame carrying said ele-' ment, a sheet retarding friction element, means to yieldingly urge said latter element in a-direction opposite to the motion of the forwarding element, a driving connection for the forwarding element adapted to press it against the retarding element and therebydrive the latter with the forwarding element when the two are. in contact.

11. In a sheet feeder and separator, the combination with a sheet forwarding belt; a swinging frame carrying said belt; a sheet retarding friction roll; means to yieldingly urge 'said roll in a direction opposite to that of the forwarding belt; a driving connection for the fmwarding belt adapted to press the belt against the retarding roll and thereby drive the latter with the forwarding belt when the two are in contact, and a roll cooperating with and driven by the belt to grasp th advancing sheet and continue the motion thereof.

12. In a sheet feeder and separator, the

combination of a sheet forwarding friction belt; a co perating sheet retarding roll adapted to contact with the forwarding belt and be driven thereby; means to urge the retarding roll yieldingly in the opposite direction to that of the motion of the friction PIERSON L. \VELLS.

1 Fnrrit, A. L. ALLisoN. 

